Henderson leaving Lotto-Soudal but is committed to extending career

by Shane Stokes

August 5, 2016

Photography by Cor Vos

NEWS SUPPORTED BY

He has played a crucial part in Andre Greipel’s leadout train for five seasons but now it’s time for a fresh start for Greg Henderson. The Kiwi has confirmed to CyclingTips that he will leave the team at the end of the season but that he intends competing at least one to two more seasons in the WorldTour peloton.

He is currently in talks with teams to determine his new direction.

Last winter Henderson had indicated that 2016 would be his final season but he subsequently had a change of heart, deciding during the spring that he wanted to continue in the sport. He went through an incredible training regime to make sure that he rode the Tour, riding for up to three hours at a time out of the saddle earlier this year when he was affected by bad saddle sores.

That dedication paid off with selection for the Tour and, on the last day of the race, a superb win by Greipel on the Champs Elysees. Henderson played a key role in the leadout, but already knew then that it would be his last Tour backing the German.

“At that point I already knew that I wasn’t on the team for next year,” he explained on Thursday. “But at the end of the day I am a competitive athlete and a professional also. I needed to do my job and I did that.”

According to Henderson, he had hoped to continue with Lotto-Soudal in 2017 but it appears that confusion about his plans complicated things. During the Tour he tried to speak to the team about a new contract but this was met by surprise by team management, who said that they had thought he was retiring.

At that point, states Henderson, the budget needed to keep him on had been spent to cover the increased wage demands of some key riders on the squad.

It was a misunderstanding that vexed him, but he has now put it behind him.

“Don’t get me wrong, I am not angry in any way, shape or form,” he states. “I totally understand. Okay, there was initial disappointment but it is a business at the end of the day and I can understand them wanting to keep those other riders.

“Of course it was disappointing and you can take it personally, or choose not to. Initially I did take it personally but I have had time to get over it. I have moved on.”

Henderson states that he is still fired up to achieve in the sport. He’s 39 years of age but says his enthusiasm for pro cycling remains. “I will keep riding until I can’t ride. As long as I am still enjoying it and still producing results, then of course I am going to ride.

“Staying WorldTour is definitely on the cards. I’ve been talking to some teams and everything is looking positive. That’s why I am not too stressed about the situation.”

Providing he continues in a leadout role, it seems possible that he could find himself riding for one of Greipel’s rivals. Henderson knows he is one of the best in the business and those who have competed against him will be fully aware of this.

“I am still a very capable and handy athlete,” he states. “The experience I’d bring to another team….you can’t buy that, you have to earn that.”

Very fair point. Whilst it would seem that OBE will give Ewan another 2 years; he does not look like being a viable fit going further.

Not only does he lack the endurance to be a viable one day classics rider; even if he were to develop on that side he hasnt the “engine” to be viable on cobbles nor the uphill capacity for even MSR or Cuddles’ race.

He’s essentially a straight out bunch kick man and hasn’t the strength to “freelance” in such finishes. Therefore, he is reliant at least 2-3 lead-out men. For some one-week tours, that can accomodated to some extent but with the team’s increasing GT focus being on GC; he is too “resource intensive” and diverts support from the GC man. Furthermore, he lacks the survivability in the mountains so you are probably one man down by halfway through the GT.

Dave

Ewan has indeed been renewed for another two years.

Looks like we know who pinched the compromising photos from Matt Goss a couple of years ago.

bluemoonday

Huh? You mean he is only really suited to sprint finishes in stage races? Like nearly every other sprinter in the peleton? Surely every team would want at least one fast man in the race, or what’s the point of turning up? He could just do a Cav and hitch a ride on another teams train!

Common Wombat

Quite simply, he is one dimensional in that he is the brand of sprinter (like Kittel) who is unlikely to survive to the finish if there are any serious uphills raced hard in the final stages.

Furthermore, he lacks the size and strength to be able to ‘freelance” in the rough & tumble; he requires “minders” to set him up.

OBE were silly enough to buy into all the hype of his junior years. Hopefully, they won’t remain suckered long term

bluemoonday

Interesting. Well thanks for the reply, and back story. I have only seen him in the TDU and with him going well there, I guess he made a good impression. Given what I did see of him and his undoubted spring ability, when he does get the conditions you say he requires, I guess it is understandable to see why OBE did fall for the hype. He did look unbeatable in a straight shoot out. It was widely reported that OBE were expecting him to have a bit of a breakthrough season this year, on the back of those earlier results.

Maybe he needs to take up Muy Thai!

Common Wombat

Oh, the AUS hype was mega. What gave me a reality check back in 2014 were his rides at both CG & Ride London where his lack of engine was glaringly exposed. He IS a superlative criterium rider, esp when he has a whole team working for him, but top line international racing is NOT crits !

Yes, he can clean up at TdU & pick up stage wins at some 1 week tours but, outside of TdU, probably only Poland & Eneco are the only ones where they will not be a major GC focus. He cannot survive mountains so he cannot go full distance at GTs, so you’re cutting your team numbers down by 1 by half way through the GT. He isn’t strong enough to even provide flat land grunt capacity. Someone like Matthews can survive hills raced hard; mountains to Cat 2 level; has some TT ability for prologues/TTT asset; Ewan ticks none of those boxes.

He hasn’t the endurance to become a real one day contender and even if he does develop on that front; he hasn’t the engine for the cobbled races nor the capacity to survive hills raced hard like the Cipressa/Poggio at MSR; those in RVV, Pluoay ….. or even Cuddles Race.

bluemoonday

Interesting! Love hearing insightful bits and pieces like this, thanks for the reply.

jules

good luck Hendo. what an absolute machine. if I was a team mgr I’d be looking at him, more than just for the watts

WELCOME TO VELOCLUB INSIDER

VeloClub Insider is an exclusive membership that gains you first access to our best stories,
exclusive content curated just for you, as well as rides, events, training plans, pro-deals and more
that will connect you with a likeminded community of cycling enthusiasts.

HELP US CUSTOMISE YOUR EXPERIENCE

CONTENT PREFERENCES:

DO YOU KNOW ABOUT VELOCLUB INSIDER?

VeloClub Insider is an exclusive membership that gains you first access to our best stories,
exclusive content curated just for you, as well as rides, events, training plans, pro-deals and more
that will connect you with a likeminded community of cycling enthusiasts.